OF 
T  U8R«RY 


N.QN  CIRCULATING 

CHECK  FOR  UNBOUND 

CIRCULATING  COPY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING    RING 
MANAGEMENT 

BY  EMIL   RAUCHENSTEIN   AND  C.   A.   BONNEN 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS,  MAY,  1925 


SUMMARY 

Threshing  from  the  shock  makes  up  approximately  20  to  30  per- 
cent of  the  operating  expenses  incurred  in  producing  wheat  and  oats. 
The  amount  of  labor  required  in  threshing  may  be  reduced  if  the 
efficiency  of  management  is  increased,  both  by  adjusting  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  crew  to  each  particular  job  and  by  the  use  of  basket  racks. 

While  the  use  of  basket  racks  and  the  elimination  of  field  pitchers 
has  been  the  usual  practice  in  many  parts  of  the  West,  it  has  not  come 
into  such  general  use  in  Illinois  as  its  merits  justify.  This  practice  has 
been  found  to  save  28  percent  of  the  man  labor  necessary  to  get  bundles 
to  the  machine,  altho  it  required  14  percent  more  horse  labor. 

Different  farms  use  varying  amounts  of  labor  per  100  bushels  of 
grain  threshed  during  the  same  season,  chiefly  because  of  the  degree  of 
efficiency  of  management.  Wide  variations  from  the  average  also  occur 
during  different  years  because  of  varying  crop  and  weather  conditions. 

In  central  Illinois,  approximately  11  hours  of  man  labor  have  been 
required  to  thresh  100  bushels  of  oats,  and  20  hours  of  man  labor  to 
thresh  100  bushels  of  wheat.  In  Franklin  county,  where  lower  yields 
are  obtained  because  the  soil  is  low  in  organic  matter  and  where  the 
equipment  is  not  so  efficient,  approximately  18  hours  of  man  labor 
have  been  required  to  thresh  100  bushels  of  oats  and  25  hours  for  100 
bushels  of  wheat.  Under  favorable  weather  conditions  and  with  efficient 
management,  100  bushels  of  oats  can  be  threshed  without  using  more 
than  6  hours  of  man  labor  and  10%  hours  of  horse  labor. 

Threshing  machines  varying  from  20  to  24  inches  in  width  of 
cylinder,  the  most  common  sizes  for  the  small  machines,  usually  thresh 
from  300  to  450  acres  of  grain  per  season.  Thirty-six  inch  machines, 
the  most  common  sizes  for  large  machines,  thresh  an  average  of  800 
to  950  acres  of  grain  per  season. 

Gas  tractors  capable  of  developing  a  maximum  of  19  horsepower 
on  the  belt  are  giving  satisfactory  results  in  pulling  threshing  machines 
20  inches  in  width  under  favorable  conditions.  Those  capable  of  de- 
veloping 27  to  32  horsepower  can  pull  22-  to  24-inch  machines  under 
practically  all  conditions.  Steam  tractors  rated  20-60  to  25-80  (com- 
monly termed  20  to  25  horsepower)  are  used  to  pull  threshing  machines 
with  cylinders  from  32  to  44  inches  in  width. 

Labor  settlements  in  threshing  rings  are  made  on  the  hour,  bushel, 
or  acre  basis.  These  methods  are  illustrated  on  pages  392  to  397. 

In  the  cooperative  ownership  of  threshing  machines  it  is  advisable 
to  have  a  definite  written  agreement  from  the  beginning.  A  sample  agree- 
ment is  found  on  page  401.  Custom  rates  are  not  always  equitable  for 
cooperative  outfits.  The  rate  can  best  be  set  after  the  threshing  season. 
It  should  be  high  enough  to  cover  cash  disbursements  and  a  fair  rate  of 
depreciation  and  interest.  The  allowance  for  depreciation  and  interest 
should  be  credited  to  each  cooperator  in  proportion  to  his  investment. 


SUCCESSFUL   THRESHING   RING 
|  MANAGEMENT 

By  E.  RAUCHENSTEIN,  Formerly  Assistant  Chief  in  Farm  Organization  and  Manage- 
ment, and  C.  A.  BONNEN,  Associate  in  Farm  Organization  and  Management 

Threshing1  from  the  shock,  which  is  the  common  practice  in  Illi- 
nois, makes  up  approximately  20  to  30  percent  of  the  operating2 
expenses  incurred  in  producing  wheat  and  oats.  In  the  last  Census 
year  (1919),  these  two  crops  occupied  30.7  percent  of  the  improved 
farm  area  of  Illinois,  and  yielded  approximately  200  million  bushels  of 
grain.  The  threshing  season  usually  lasts  only  from  12  to  20  days  in 
any  one  locality,  which  means  that  large  amounts  of  labor  are  used 
within  a  short  time.  It  is  therefore  especially  important  that  labor  and 
equipment  in  threshing  be  managed  efficiently. 

Before  1915  practically  all  threshing  in  Illinois  was  done  by  custom 
outfits.  Steam  tractors  were  the  main  sources  of  power.  In  the  more 
important  small-grain  growing  sections  of  the  state,  farmers  usually 
organized  threshing  rings  and  each  ring  hired  a  custom  outfit  to  thresh 
for  its  members. 

Since  1915  there  has  been  a  rapid  increase  in  the  number  of  small 
(two-  and  three-plow)  gas  tractors  used  in  Illinois.  These  have  been 
bought  mainly  for  field  work,  but  are  also  being  used  to  some  extent  to 
pull  small  threshing  machines.  The  1920  Census  reports  approximately 
20,000  -small  gas  tractors  in  Illinois,  and  it  is  certain  that  the  number 
has  increased  materially  since  then. 

Along  with  the  development  of  this  new  source  of  power  has  come 
the  more  general  use  of  the  small  threshing  machine.  Many  rings  that 
formerly  hired  large  custom  outfits,  consisting  of  large  threshing 
machines  and  steam  tractors,  have  been  broken  up  and  reorganized  into 
smaller  rings.  The  small  ring  usually  buys  a  threshing  machine  cooper- 
atively, and  hires  one  of  its  members,  who  owns  a  small  gas  tractor,  to 
furnish  the  power. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  bulletin  will  prove  helpful  in  solving  some  of 
the  problems  that  have  long  existed  in  threshing  rings  hiring  the  custom 
outfits,  as  well  as  those  arising  from  the  increasing  use  of  small  thresh- 
ing machines,  many  of  which  are  cooperatively  owned.  Some  of  the 


JAs  used  here,  threshing  includes  hauling  the  bundles  to  the  machine,  hauling 
the  grain,  and  stacking  the  straw,  besides  the  work  and  expense  at  the  machine. 

"Operating  expenses  as  used  here  include  all  expenses  except  interest  on  the  land. 

Acknowledgments  are  due  the  Departments  of  Farm  Mechanics  and  Agronomy, 
and  Mr.  E.  R.  Dillavou,  Associate  in  Business  Law,  University  of  Illinois,  for  valuable 
suggestions  in  the  preparation  of  this  bulletin. 

375 


376  BULLETIN  No.  267 

more  important  problems,  most  of  which  are  common  to  both  situa- 
tions, are: 

1.  The  selection  of  a  threshing  machine  of  the  right  size  for  a  given 
acreage  of  grain. 

2.  The  selection  of  a  tractor  of  the  right  size  to  pull  the  threshing 
machine. 

3.  The  development  of  standards  for  the  number  of  hours  of  labor 
per  bushel  and  per  acre  for  threshing  grain. 

4.  The  development  of  fair  and  simple  methods  of  settling  labor 
differences. 

5.  The  application  of  sound  business  methods  of  financing  thresh- 
ing rings  which  own  their  threshing  machines. 


DATA  SECURED  BY  COST  RECORDS  AND  SURVEY 

The  data  used  in  making  this  study  of  threshing  operations  have 
been  secured  in  three  different  ways: 

1.  Complete  cost-accounting  records  were  kept  on  a  total  of  fifteen 
to  twenty  farms  in  Hancock  and  Franklin  counties  from  1913  to  1922 
inclusive,  and  on  a  total  of  ten  to  fourteen  farms  in  Champaign  and 
Piatt  counties  from   1920  to  1922  inclusive.    These  records  show  the 
variations  in  different  years  and  on  different  farms  in  the  amounts  of 
labor  used  for  threshing. 

2.  A  farm-to-farm  survey  was  made  in  Douglas,  Champaign,  and 
Ford   counties   during   the   summer   of    1921    while   threshing,  was    in 
progress.    Seventy-four  threshing  rings  were  visited  and   142  farmers 
interviewed.    The  total  area  on  which  survey  records  were  obtained 
amounted  to  6,514  acres  of  oats  and  2,055  acres  of  wheat. 

Information  was  secured  concerning  the  organization  and  manage- 
ment of  threshing  rings  in  this  area  and  also  the  cost  of  threshing,  both 
per  100  bushels  of  grain  and  per  acre.  These  data  include  the  acreage 
and  yields  of  grain,  the  amount  of  time  spent  in  threshing  each  kind  of 
grain,  the  number  of  men  and  horses  used  for  each  operation,  such  as 
bundle  hauling,  field  pitching,  and  grain  hauling,  and  the  amount  and 
cost  of  fuel  used. 

3.  Detailed  records  on  threshing  operations  for  the  1921   season 
were  kept  by  members  of  different  threshing  rings  in  Champaign  and 
Ford  counties.  Data  were  secured  from  fourteen  threshing  rings  includ- 
ing 166  farms  having  a  total  of  9,634  acres  of  oats  and  893  acres  of 
wheat.   Since  these  records  were  not  entirely  complete  in  regard  to  fuel 
and  machine  costs,  they  are  used  only  to  show  the  labor  requirements 
for  threshing. 


1925J  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  377 

NUMBER  OF  ACRES  THRESHED  WITH  EACH  SIZE 
OF  MACHINE 

The  experiences  of  the  142  farmers  in  the  74  rings  included  in  this 
survey  should  be  of  value  as  a  guide  in  deciding  the  best  size  of 
threshing  machine  to  buy  for  a  ring  of  a  given  size. 


FIG.  1. — LOCATION  OF  AREA  STUDIES 

•  Areas  in  which  threshing  data  were 
secured  from  detailed  cost  accounting 
investigations. 

O  Areas  in  which  survey  records  were 
secured. 

In  east-central  Illinois,  machines  ranging  from  20  to  28  inches 
in  width  of  cylinder  are  regarded  as  satisfactory  sizes  for  threshing 
300  to  475  acres  of  grain  in  a  season.  Those  ranging  from  32  to  44 
inches  in  width  are  considered  satisfactory  sizes  for  threshing  from  700 
to  1,000  acres.  The  36-inch  machine,  which  threshed  an  average  of  879 
acres,  is  by  far  the  most  common  size  used. 

Both  farmers  and  threshing  machine  manufacturers1  are  of  the 

"Eleven  out  of  fourteen  threshing  machine  manufacturers  questioned,  replied  that 
they  were  in  favor  of  settling  upon  a  few  standard  sizes. 


378 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


[May, 


opinion  that  it  would  be  a  step  in  the  direction  of  economy  and  efficiency 
to  settle  upon  a  few  standard  sizes  of  machines  suited  to  the  needs  of 
different  sized  threshing  rings. 


TABLE  1. — ACREAGES  THRESHED  BY  VARIOUS  SIZES  OF  MACHINES  IN  EAST- 
CENTRAL  ILLINOIS,  1921 


Size  of  machine1 

Number  of 
machines 

Acres  of  grain  threshed  per  ring 

Average 
per  ring 

Minimum 

Maximum 

20x36  

3 
3 
5 
3 
1 
1 
6 
38 
11 
2 
1 

295 
367 
361 
376 
467 
715 
684 
879 
951 
862 
997 

170 
350 
260 

332 

485 
565 
600 

725 
820 

395 
380 
410 
450 

785 
1250 
1200 
1000 
1175 

22x40  

23x40  

24x42  

26x44  

28x48  

32x52  

36x56  .... 

40x60  

42x64  

44x64  

JWidth  of  the  cylinder  in  inches. 

SIZES  OF  TRACTORS  NEEDED  FOR  VARIOUS  SIZES  OF 
THRESHING  MACHINES 

The  problem  of  selecting  a  gas  tractor  of  the  right  size  for  a  given 
threshing  machine  cannot  be  solved  on  the  basis  of  the  manufacturers' 
rating  alone,  because  manufacturers  do  not  have  a  uniform  standard 
as  to  the  overload  which  their  tractors  can  carry  above  the  rated  horse- 
power. Fortunately  the  University  of  Nebraska  has  been  testing  gas 
tractors  since  1920,  and  the  results  of  these  tests  are  available  for  most 
makes  of  gas  tractors.  Among  other  data,  the  maximum  load  test  on  the 
belt  is  given.  This  is  the  most  reliable  basis  for  selecting  a  tractor  for 
belt  work  when  a  definite  amount  of  power  is  required. 

Table  2  shows  the  results  of  the  Nebraska  Tractor  Tests  for  max- 
imum load  tests  on  the  belt  for  the  different  makes  of  gas  tractors  which 
were  included  in  this  survey. 

Operators  of  threshing  outfits  expressed  themselves  generally  as 
being  satisfied  that  their  engines  had  sufficient  power  to  pull  the 
machines  under  favorable  conditions  such  as  prevailed  during  the 
threshing  season  in  1921.  During  this  season  there  was  little  rainfall, 
oats  were  relatively  free  of  weeds,  and  the  straw  was  not  badly 
tangled. 

From  the  data  in  Table  2  it  may  be  concluded  that  gas  tractors  \ 
capable  of  developing  19  horsepower  on  the  belt  under  the  maximum 
load  test  will  pull  20-inch  threshing  machines  under  favorable  condi- 
tions. Tractors  having  a  capacity  of  27  to  32  horsepower  can  pull  22-  to 
21-inch  threshing  machines  under  practically  all  conditions. 


7925] 


SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT 


379 


Most  of  the  large  threshing  machines  were  pulled  by  20-60  to  25-80 
steam  tractors.  The  users  of  steam  tractors  were  satisfied  that  they  had 
sufficient  reserve  power  for  all  conditions. 

TABLE  2. — SIZES  OF  GAS  TRACTORS  USED  WITH  VARIOUS  SIZES  OF  THRESHING  MACHINES 
IN  EAST-CENTRAL  ILLINOIS,  1921 


Makes  of  tractors 

Manufacturers' 
rating  H.  P. 

1Maximum 
load  test 
on  the  belt 

Sizes  of 
threshing 
machines 

Fordson  

H.  P. 

19.15 

20x34 

Samson  

19  39 

20x34 

Waterloo  Boy  

12-25 

25  97 

20x34 

Hart  Parr  

15-30 

31  37 

20x30 

22x36 

Titan  

10-20 

28.15 

26x46 
22x36 

Titan  

15-30 

(not  tested) 

23x36 
23x36 
22x36 

Huber  

14-28 

(not  tested) 

28x40 
23x36 

Wallis  

15-25 

27  57 

23x36 

Parrett  

12-25 

(not  tested) 

23x36 

Case  

15-27 

31  23 

24x36 

Avery  

14-28 

31.83 

24x36 

Aultman  Taylor  

22-45 

46  66 

32x52 

Aultman  Tavlor  

30-60 

75.49 

36x56 

University  of  Nebraska,  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  177. 

AMOUNTS  OF  LABOR  USED  VARY  WIDELY 

The  amount  of  labor  used  in  threshing  a  given  amount  of  grain 
varies  widely  from  year  to  year  on  the  same  farms  and  in  different 
threshing  rings  during  the  same  year.  There  are  two  reasons  for  these 
variations:  first,  the  quality  and  condition  of  the  grain,  which  is  largely 
the  result  of  seasonal  conditions;  and  second,  the  efficiency  with  which 
the  threshing  outfit  and  crew  are  managed. 

By  comparing  data  from  similar  groups  of  farms  for  different  years, 
the  effect  of  weather  conditions  on  the  amount  of  labor  used  in  thresh- 
ing can  be  determined  somewhat  definitely.  By  comparing  data 
obtained  under  similar  conditions  from  different  farms  and  rings  for  the 
same  year,  the  efficiency  of  management  can  be  studied. 

VARIATIONS  CAUSED  CHIEFLY  BY  SEASONAL  CONDITIONS 

The  data  secured  from  the  groups  of  farms  in  Hancock  and 
Franklin  counties,  where  detailed  cost  records  were  kept  from  1913 
to  1922,  show  that  the  variations  in  labor  were  caused  chiefly  by  differ- 
ences in  weather  conditions  during  the  growing  season  and  at  the  time 
of  threshing.  The  amount  of  labor  required  on  these  farms  during  each 
of  the  ten  threshing  seasons  is  shown  in  Tables  3,  4,  5,  and  6. 


380 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


[May, 


TABLE  3. — LABOR  REQUIRED  FOR  THRESHING  OATS  IN  HANCOCK  COUNTY,  1913-1922 


Year 

Average  oats 
yield  per 
acre 

Labor  per  100  bushels 

Labor  per  acre 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

1913  

31.4 
33.1 
48.0 
22.1 
49.0 
47.0 
43.5 
52.5 
30.0 
26.2 

10.5 
8.1 
12.9 
14.2 
7.9 
8.2 
10.0 
7.7 
9.3 
13.3 

12.6 
8.7 
14.3 
15.9 
9.8 
10.1 
13.1 
9.7 
11.7 
17.0 

3.3 
2.7 
6.2 
3.1 
3.9 
3.8 
4.4 
4.0 
2.8 
3.5 

4.0 
2.9 
6.8 

3.5 
4.8 
4.7 
5.7 
5.1 
3.5 
4.5 

1914  

1915  

1916  

1917  

1918  

1919  

1920  

1921  

1922  

10-year  average.  . 

38.4 

10.8 

12.3 

3.8 

4.5 

The  number  of  farms  represented  in  Tables  3  and  4  varied  from 
6  to  11  during  the  ten-year  period. 

In  1914  the  average  rainfall  in  Hancock  county  was  25.83  inches,  or 
10  inches  below  normal.  The  resulting  short  growth  of  straw  and  the 
dry  weather  during  the  threshing  season  explain  the  small  amount  of 
labor  used,  both  per  100  bushels  of  grain  threshed  and  per  acre. 

In  1915  the  amount  of  labor  required  in  threshing  oats  was  high. 
During  July,  August,  and  September,  the  months  in  which  threshing 
was  done,  more  than  18  inches  of  rain  fell,  making  the  average  rainfall 
for  the  year  7  inches  above  normal.  Since  there  were  only  54  acres  in 
wheat,  or  too  small  an  acreage  to  represent  a  fair  average,  the  fact 
that  less  than  the  average  number  of  hours  of  labor  was  used  to  thresh 
100  bushels  may  be  regarded  as  more  or  less  accidental. 

In  1916  the  yields  of  oats  and  wheat  were  extremely  low  while  the 
growth  of  straw  was  about  normal.  Under  these  conditions  the  amount 

TABLE  4. — LABOR  REQUIRED  FOR  THRESHING  WHEAT  IN  HANCOCK  COUNTY,  1913-1922 


Year 

Average 
wheat 
yield  per 
acre 

Labor  per  100  bushels 

Labor  per  acre 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

1913... 

22.7 
22.8 
17.3 
10.7 

15.7 
13.8 
18.1 
26.5 

22^2 
28.0 
17.3 
18.8 
19.9 

19.5 
17.8 

23.2 
31.7 

22'7 
37.7 
21.5 
27.8 
29.6 

3.6 
3.1 
3.1 
2.8 

'4.3 
6.4 

3.7 
4.1 

4.7 

4.4 
4.0 
4.0 

,3:4 

4.4 
8.6 
4.6 
6.0 
6.9 

1914  

1915  

1916  

1917'  

1918  

19.3 

22.8 
21.6 
21.7 
23.4 

1919  

1920  

1921  

1922  

9-year  average  — 

20.4 

20.0 

25.7 

4.0 

5.2 

*No  data  available. 


1925} 


SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT 


381 


TABLE  5. — LABOR  REQUIRED  FOR  THRESHING  OATS  IN  FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  1913-1922 


Year 

Average 
oats  yield 
per  acre 

Labor  per  100  bushels 

Labor  per  acre 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

1913  

15.2 

12.8 

14.4 
40.4 
11.4 
14.8 
25.0 
11.9 
12.6 

10.7 

14.7 
37.2 
10.9 
12.6 
21.9 
11.1 
14.0 

2.0 

'3.9 

2.4 
4.4 
4.5 
3.6 

3.2 

2.5 

1.6 

2^2 
4.2 
3.9 
3.2 
3.0 
2.8 

19141  

1915  

26.6 
5.9 
38.8 
30.6 
14.6 
26.7 
19.9 

1916  

1917  

1918  

1919  

1920  

1921  

19221  

8-year  average.  .  .  . 

22.3 

17.9 

16.6 

3.3 

3.1 

JNo  data  available. 

of  labor  required  to  thresh  100  bushels  of  grain  was  large,  while  the 
amount  of  labor  required  per  acre  was  about  normal. 

The  yield  of  wheat  and  the  amount  of  rainfall  were  practically 
normal  in  1919.  The  heavy  growth  of  wheat  straw,  which  lodged  badly, 
in  addition  to  the  fact  that  during  the  threshing  season  sufficient  rain 
fell  to  make  the  straw  tough  and  separation  difficult,  resulted  in  ab- 
normally high  labor  requirements. 

During  the  other  years  of  the  ten-year  period  in  Hancock  county, 
weather  conditions  during  the  threshing  season  were  in  no  way  unusual. 
The  differences  in  labor  used  were  due  largely  to  the  differences  in 
yields  of  grain  and  straw. 

The  effect  which  weather  conditions  during  the  growing  season 
have  on  labor  requirements  is  well  illustrated  by  the  data  on  oat 
threshing  in  Franklin  county  (Table  5).  The  soils  in  this  county  are 
generally  low  in  organic  matter,  and  extremes  of  moisture  and  tempera- 
ture cause  wide  variations  in  the  yields  of  oats,  which,  in  turn,  ap- 

TABLE  6. — LABOR  REQUIRED  FOR  THRESHING  WHEAT  IN  FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  1913-1922 


Year 

Average 
wheat  yield 
per  acre 

Labor  per  100  bushels 

Labor  per  acre 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

Man  hours 

Horse  hours 

1913.. 

19.8 
14.8 
12.5 
9.7 
16.2 
17.7 
14.3 
11.8 
14.6 

22.0 
22.0 
32.7 
28.6 
23.2 
26.4 
27.4 
19.6 
23.3 

17.8 
23.2 
28.3 
27.5 
23.8 
22.8 
27.4 
18.1 
26.6 

4.3 
3.3 
4.1 
2.8 
3.7 
4.7 
3.9 
2.3 
3.4 

3.5 
3.5 
3.5 
2.7 
3.8 
4.0 
3.9 
2.1 
3.9 

1914  

1915  

1916  

1917  

1918  

1919  

1920  

1921  

19221  

9-year  average.  .  .  . 

14.6 

25.0 

23.9 

r3.6 

3.4 

JData  available  on  only  3  farms. 


382 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


[May, 


patently  cause  wide  variations  in  the  amounts  of  labor  used  to  thresh 
100  bushels  of  grain. 

The  number  of  farms  represented  in  Tables  5  and  6  varied  from  5 
to  9.  In  1914  and  1922  no  oats  were  threshed  on  the  farms  keeping 
records.  In  1914,  when  rainfall  was  10  inches  below  normal  in  Franklin 
county,  oats  were  a  complete  failure.  In  1922  only  6  acres  of  oats  were 
grown  on  the  farms  keeping  records.  These  were  fed  as  bundle  oats. 

In  1916,  another  unfavorable  year  for  oat  production,  the  yield  was 
only  5.9  bushels  per  acre,  while  the  amount  of  man  labor  required  to 
thresh  100  bushels  was  40.4  hours. 

The  season  of  1917  was  unusually  favorable  for  oats.  The  average 
yield  was  38.8  bushels  per  acre,  the  highest  for  the  ten-year  period,  yet 
only  11.4  hours  of  man  labor  were  used  in  threshing  100  bushels. 

During  the  four  years  when  the  yield  of  oats  in  Franklin  county 
was  below  the  average,  or  13.9  bushels  per  acre,  73  percent  more  man 
labor  was  required  to  thresh  100  bushels  of  grain  than  during  the  four 
years  when  the  yields  were  above  the  average,  or  30.7  bushels  per  acre. 

Wheat  yields  in  Franklin  county  did  not  vary  so  much  as  oat  yields, 
and  there  was  therefore  more  uniformity  in  the  amounts  of  labor  used 
in  various  seasons  to  thresh  100  bushels.  During  the  five  years  when 
wheat  yields  were  below  the  average,  or  12.6  bushels  per  acre,  only  12 
percent  more  labor  was  required  to  thresh  100  bushels  than  during  the 
four  years  when  the  yields  were  above  the  average,  or  17.1  bushels. 

THRESHING  IN  EAST-CENTRAL  ILLINOIS  IN  1921 

Labor  records  on  threshing  were  secured  in  east-central  Illinois 
during  1921  by  means  of  a  survey  and  by  field  records,  as  explained 
on  page  4.  The  weather  conditions  during  the  period  covered  by  the 
investigations  were  uniformly  good  for  threshing.  A  summary  of  the 
labor  required  is  shown  in  Table  7. 

TABLE  7. — LABOR  REQUIRED  FOR  THRESHING  IN  EAST-CENTRAL  ILLINOIS,  1921 


Acres 
included 

Yield 
per  acre 

Labor  per  100  bushels 

Labor  per  acre 

Man  hrs. 

Horse  hrs. 

Man  hrs. 

Horse  hrs. 

Oats  

16,148 
2,948 

32.6 
22.6 

10.4 
20.5 

14  0 
31.8 

3.4 
4.6 

4.6 

7.2 

Wheat  

That  the  labor  requirements  per  100  bushels  of  oats  and  wheat 
were  slightly  lower  on  the  cooperating  farms  in  Hancock  county  during 
1921  than  they  were  in  east-central  Illinois  the  same  season  is  shown 
by  a  comparison  of  Table  7  with  Tables  3  and  4.  This  may  have  been 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  farms  in  Hancock  county  were  a  somewhat 
selected  group,  while  those  in  east-central  Illinois  were  representative  of 
average  farms  in  the  three  counties  where  the  investigations  were  made. 


1925]  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  383 

VARIATIONS  CAUSED  BY  DIFFERENCES  IN  MANAGEMENT 

Under  practically  the  same  crop  and  weather  conditions,  different 
farms  and  different  threshing  rings  showed  marked  variations  in  the 
amount  of  labor  required  for  threshing  100  bushels  of  grain.  In  order 
to  find  out  what  factors  might  cause  these  variations,  a  more  detailed 
analysis  was  made  of  the  results  obtained  on  sixty-two  farms  in  1921, 
all  of  which  used  36-inch  machines.  Weather  conditions  were  favorable 


TABLE  8. — RELATION  OF  VARIOUS  FACTORS  TO  AMOUNTS  OF  LABOR  REQUIRED 

IN  THRESHING  OATS,  1921 
(Threshing  survey  data  on"the  sixty-two  farms  using  36-inch  threshing  machines) 


Number  of 
man  hours 

Average 
number  of 

Yield 

Average 
distance 

Number 

Number 

Total 
number 

Number 

per  100 

bushels 

per 

from 

of  field 

of 

of  men 

of 

bushels 

threshed 

acre 
/•u,.  \ 

field 

pitchers 

bundle 

per 

farms 

threshed 

per  hour 

(.bu.; 

(rods) 

haulers 

crew 

in  group 

8.0  .. 

292 

34  6 

123 

5  4 

9.4 

23  0 

16 

10.1  

264 

32  9 

139 

6.3 

10.2 

26.3 

16 

11.9  

216 

30  3 

133 

6.2 

9.8 

25.3 

16 

15.0  

166 

28  5 

101 

6  0 

9.3 

24.5 

14 

Correlation 

coefficient 

-.82 

-.19 

-.14 

.15 

.02 

.099 

while  threshing  was  being  done  on  these  farms.  Field  pitchers  were 
used  on  all  but  one  of  the  farms.  Thus  the  difference  in  labor  require- 
ments due  to  weather  or  to  size  of  machine  was  eliminated,  making  it 
possible  to  determine  more  accurately  the  effects  of  other  factors. 

The  data  from  the  sixty-two  farms  were  arranged  according  to  the 
number  of  hours  of  man  labor  required  to  thresh  100  bushels  of  oats. 
All  available  data  on  factors  which  might  bear  some  relationship  to  the 
time  required  for  threshing  were  tabulated  (Table  8). 

The  relationship  between  these  different  factors  and  the  time  used 
in  threshing  100  bushels  of  oats  is  shown  by  means  of  correlation  co- 
efficients. A  perfect  positive  correlation  would  give  a  correlation 
coefficient  of  1 ;  a  perfect  negative,  or  inverse,  correlation  would  give  an 
answer  of  —  1;  if  no  relationship  existed,  the  correlation  coefficient 
would  be  0.) 

Efficiency  of  Labor  Increases  with  Rate  of  Threshing 

The  correlation  between  the  number  of  bushels  threshed  per  hour 
and  the  hours  of  man  labor  used  per  100  bushels  threshed  was  —.82. 
This  indicates  that  efficiency  in  the  use  of  labor  increases  as  the  rate  of 
threshing  increases. 

The  question  may  be  raised  whether  the  number  of  bushels 
threshed  is  not  low  in  many  cases  simply  because  the  crew  does  not 


384  BULLETIN  No.  267  [May, 

work  hard  enough  to  keep  the  threshing  machine  supplied  with  bundles 
up  to  its  capacity.  General  experience  and  observation,  however, 
indicate  that  in  practically  all  cases  when  farmers  exchange  labor  in 
threshing,  enough  help  is  provided  and  the  men  work  hard  enough  to 
keep  the  threshing  machine  supplied  with  grain  while  running  at  full 
capacity.  When  weather  conditions  and  the  condition  of  the  bundles 
are  favorable  for  threshing  a  large  number  of  bushels  per  hour,  the 
failure  to  do  so  is  almost  always  due  to  inefficient  management  of  the 
threshing  outfit.  Carelessness  in  keeping  parts  adjusted  and  repaired 
results  in  frequent  breakdowns1  and  other  delays.  Idling  on  the  part  of 
the  threshing  crew  is  therefore  practically  always  the  result  and  not 
the  cause  of  a  small  number  of  bushels  being  threshed  per  hour. 

This  statement  is  borne  out  by  a  further  analysis  of  Table  8,  which 
shows  that  there  was  no  significant  relationship  between  the  yield  per 
acre,  the  distance  to  fields,  or  the  organization  of  the  crew,  and  the 
amount  of  labor  used  for  threshing. 

Labor  Wasted  by  Failure  to  Change  Organization  of  Crew  to 
Fit  Size  of  Job 

A  study  of  the  organization  of  the  working  crews  on  the  farms  in 
fourteen  threshing  rings  showed  that  very  few  changes  were  made  in 
the  organization  of  the  crew  to  meet  the  varying  demands  for  labor  on 
different  farms.  Ordinarily  the  crew  was  organized  to  take  care  of 
the  farm  which  had  the  longest  haul  from  the  field  to  the  machine  and 
also  the  farm  which  had  the  longest  haul  from  the  machine  to  the 
grain  elevator,  and  frequently  it  remained  unchanged  on  all  other  farms 
in  the  ring.  Thus  any  labor  which  might  have  been  saved  thru  a  better 
organization  of  the  threshing  crew  on  farms  where  the  grain  was  hauled 
a  short  distance,  was  lost  in  waiting  or  in  traveling  more  slowly.  This 
probably  explains  why  there  was  no  significant  correlation  between  the 
yield  per  acre,  the  distance  to  the  fields,  or  the  organization  of  the  crew, 
and  the  time  used  in  threshing. 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  MAKING  MORE  EFFICIENT 
USE  OF  MAN  LABOR 

The  labor  used  in  threshing  may  be  reduced  on  some  farms  by 
carefully  adjusting  the  organization  of  the  crew  to  the  size  of  the  job. 

By  analyzing  the  various  operations  necessary  in  threshing,  the 
points  where  wastes  occur  can  be  located.  A  good  standard  can  also  be 
established  based  upon  the  performance  of  the  well-managed  threshing 
outfits. 


Detailed  information  regarding  the  operation  of  threshing  machines  is  given  in 
Farmers'  Bulletin  991,  U.  S.  D.  A. 


19251  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  385 


The  approximate  distribution  of  the  time  for  getting  the  bundles  from 
the  shock  in  the  field  into  the  threshing  machine  is  shown  in  Table  9. 
The  average  conditions  in  hauling  oat  bundles  on  the  sixty-two  farms 
that  used  36-inch  threshing  machines  are  shown  in  the  first  column. 
In  the  second  and  third  columns,  good  standards  where  field  pitchers 
are  used  and  where  basket  racks  are  used,  are  shown. 

The  number  of  bushels  of  oats  per  load  of  bundles  is  based  upon 
estimates  of  a  number  of  farmers,  and  is  believed  to  be  representative  of 
the  size  of  loads  hauled  in  1921,  since  the  average  yields  at  that  time 
were  only  32.6  bushels  per  acre.  Forty  bushels  of  oats  per  load  of 
bundles  was  considered  a  fair  sized  load  where  field  pitchers  were  used, 
and  30  bushels  where  the  bundle  haulers  used  basket  racks  and  pitched 
on  their  own  loads. 

The  average  rate  of  threshing  oats  on  the  sixty-two  farms  using 
36-inch  threshing  machines  was  235  bushels  per  hour  (Table  9, 
column  1).  Since  bundles  are  always  pitched  from  both  sides  into  a 
36-inch  threshing  machine,  one  load  of  40  bushels  must  be  pitched 
from  each  side  every  20  minutes.  This  means  threshing  80  bushels  of 
oats  in  20  minutes  or  240  bushels  per  hour.  Allowing  about  one-half 
minute  between  loads  brings  the  actual  rate  of  threshing  down  to  235 
bushels  per  hour. 

The  average  distance  from  threshing  machine  to  field  was  125  rods. 
Traveling  at  a  rate  of  approximately  two  and  one-half  miles  per  hour 
would  require  18  minutes  per  load.  Since  an  average  of  9.67  bundle 
haulers  was  used,  99  minutes  (1  hour  and  39  minutes)  was  required 
for  each  man  to  make  a  round  trip.  The  time  for  unloading  and  going 
back  and  forth  from  the  field  was  20  plus  18  minutes,  or  38  minutes, 
leaving  61  minutes  for  loading  up  and  waiting.  Thirty  minutes  is 
generally  considered  a  reasonable  time  for  loading  bundles  containing 
40  bushels  of  oats,  so  that  3 1  minutes  are  allowed  out  of  each  99  minutes 
for  waiting,  as  insurance  against  breakdowns  or  other  delays.  Six 
pitchers  were  used  in  the  field.  Hence  for  every  100  bushels  of  oats 
delivered  into  the  threshing  machine,  6.7  hours  of  man  labor  were 
used. 

In  the  second  column  of  Table  9,  a  fair  standard  is  shown,  with 
field  pitchers  reduced  to  5  and  the  number  of  bundle  haulers  reduced 
to  9.  The  rate  of  threshing  is  set  at  300  bushels  per  hour,  which  is  the 
average  for  the  nineteen  farms  that  threshed  the  largest  number  of 
bushels  per  hour.  Even  with  the  smaller  crew,  the  time  for  each  opera- 
tion is  reasonable,  since  six  minutes  are  left  in  each  round  trip  for  delays 
or  rest.  When  the  work  is  performed  at  this  rate,  the  number  of  man 
hours  required  for  getting  bundles  from  the  field  into  the  threshing 
machine  is  reduced  to  4.7  per  100  bushels  of  oats  threshed. 


386  BULLETIN  No.  267  [May, 

BASKET  RACKS  SAVE  LABOR  IN  GETTING  GRAIN  TO  MACHINE 

The  third  column  of  Table  9  shows  the  results  that  can  be  obtained 
under  the  same  conditions  by  using  basket  racks  for  hauling  bundles 
and  having  each  bundle  hauler  pitch  on  his  own  load.  This  method 
eliminates  special  field  pitchers  but  necessitates  having  about  two  more 
bundle  haulers  with  a  36-inch  threshing  machine.  The  size  of  the 
bundle  loads  is  usually  smaller  under  this  system,  and  has  here  been 


TABLE  9. — AVERAGE  TIME  TAKEN  IN  GETTING  BUNDLES  OF  OATS  FROM  THE  FIELD  INTO 
THE  THRESHING  MACHINE  COMPARED  WITH  GOOD  STANDARDS1 


Average  of 
62  farms 
using  36" 
threshing 
machines 

1 

Good  standards 

Where 

field 
pitchers 
are  used 
2 

Basket 
racks  used  — 
no  field 
pitchers 
3 

Distance  from  machine  to  field  

125  rods 
40  bu. 
235  bu. 

20  min. 
18    " 
30    " 
31    " 
99    " 
9.67 
6 

15.67 

125  rods 
40  bu. 
300  bu. 

16  min. 
18     " 
30    " 
6    " 

70    " 
9 
5 

14 

125  rods 
30  bu. 
300  bu. 

12  min. 
18    " 
30    " 
6    " 
66    " 
11 

11 

Amount  of  oats  per  bundle  load  

Amount  of  oats  threshed  per  hour  

Time  for  each  part  of  operation 
1.  Pitching  off  load  at  machine  

2.  Going  back  and  forth  from  field  
3.  Loading  bundles  

4.  Allowance  for  delays  or  rest  

Total  time  for  each  round  trip  

Number  of  bundle  haulers  used  or  needed.  .  .  . 
Number  of  field  pitchers  used  or  needed  

Total  number  of  men  for  getting 
bundles  to  machine  

Man  labor  per  100  bushels  of  oats  threshed  .  .  . 

6.7hrs. 

4.7hrs. 

3.7hrs. 

JThe  standards  set  up  were  obtained  by  taking  the  performance  of  the  farms  most 
efficient  in  the  use  of  threshing  labor  and  testing  for  reasonableness. 

assumed  to  be  three-fourths  as  large  as  when  field  pitchers  are»used. 
The  time  for  pitching  off  the  load  into  the  threshing  machine  has 
accordingly  been  reduced  from  16  minutes  to  12  minutes  per  load.  The 
time  allowed  for  the  other  parts  of  the  operation  is  the  same  as  that 
shown  in  the  second  column. 

By  using  basket  racks,  the  number  of  men  required  to  get  the 
bundles  to  the  threshing  machine  is  reduced  to  11,  and  the  number  of 
man  hours  for  getting  bundles  from  the  field  into  the  threshing  machine 
to  3.7  per  100  bushels  of  oats  threshed. 

While  the  use  of  basket  racks  and  the  elimination  of  field 
pitchers  has  been  the  general  practice  in  many  parts  of  the  West,  it  has 
not  come  into  such  general  use  in  Illinois  as  its  merits  justify. 

Fifteen  of  the  farms  using  small  threshing  machines  included  in  the 
threshing  survey  in  1921  used  basket  racks,  as  did  twenty-two  of  the 


19251 


SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT 


387 


farms  keeping  field  records.1  Farmers  using  basket  racks  are  strong 
advocates  of  them.  The  racks  not  only  save  man  labor  by  eliminating 
a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  work  in  loading,  but  also  help  to  distribute 
among  a  larger  number  of  men  the  heaviest  part  of  the  work,  which  is 
pitching  the  bundles  on  the  wagons.  When  this  work  is  all  done  by  five 
or  six  field  pitchers,  who  have  no  change  of  work,  a  lot  of  muscular 
energy  per  man  is  required,  but  if  it  is  distributed  among  eleven  bundle 


FIG.  2. — THE  USE  OF  BASKET  RACKS  SAVES  APPROXIMATELY  ONE-FOURTH  OF  THE 

MAN  LABOR  NECESSARY  TO  GET  THE  BUNDLES  OF  GRAIN  TO 

THE  THRESHING  MACHINE 

haulers  who  get  something  of  a  change  in  pitching  into  the  machine  and 
riding  back  and  forth  from  the  field,  the  men  do  not  tire  so  easily. 

NUMBER  OF  BUNDLE  HAULERS  SHOULD  VARY  WITH 
DISTANCE  TO  MACHINE 

The  number  of  bundle  haulers  should  be  adjusted  according  to  the 
distance  from  the  machine  to  the  field.  In  the  cases  shown  in  Table  8 
the  distances  averaged  125  rods.  Where  farms  have  a  well-planned 
field  system  it  is  usually  possible  to  have  the  fields  less  than  80  rods 
from  the  threshing  machine.  A  simple  calculation  will  show  that  for  the 
conditions  shown  in  column  2,  a  decrease  of  53  rods  in  the  distance 
would  have  saved  the  time  of  one  bundle  hauler.  In  other  words,  if  the 
distance  were  72  rods  instead  of  125  rods,  each  bundle  hauler  would 
save  106  rods  of  travel  in  a  round  trip.  Traveling  at  the  rate  of  2^ 
miles  per  hour,  a  saving  of  8  minutes  would  be  made.  Hence  for  nine 
bundle  haulers  a  saving  of  72  minutes  would  be  made,  which  is 
equivalent  to  the  time  required  for  one  bundle  hauler  to  complete  the 

*For  saving  in  labor  on  these  farms,  see  Table  10,  page  390. 


388  BULLETIN  No.  267  [May, 

• 

round  trip.  When  basket  racks  are  used  as  shown  in  Table  9,  third 
column,  a  decrease  of  40  rods  in  distance  from  threshing  machine  to  field 
would  save  one  bundle  hauler. 

The  practice  of  adjusting  the  number  of  bundle  haulers  to  the 
actual  needs  of  a  job  would  save  a  considerable  amount  of  time  during 
the  threshing  season,  when  man  labor  usually  is  scarce. 

NUMBER  OF  GRAIN  HAULERS  SHOULD  BE  ADJUSTED  TO  DISTANCE 
TO  ELEVATOR  OR  GRANARY 

It  is  a  common  practice  in  most  threshing  rings  in  east-central 
Illinois  to  keep  the  same  number  of  grain  haulers  regardless  of  the 
distance  the  threshed  grain  has  to  be  hauled.  In  order  to  avoid  waste 
of  labor,  the  number  of  grain  haulers  should  be  adjusted  to  the  distance. 
When  oats  are  hauled  to  a  granary  or  elevator  one-fourth  mile  or  less 
from  the  threshing  machine,  three  grain  haulers1  ordinarily  can  haul  all 
the  oats  if  threshing  is  done  at  the  rate  of  300  bushels  per  hour.  This 
allows  18  minutes  for  loading  each  load,  and  36  minutes  for  each  hauler 
to  unload  and  drive  back  and  forth.  At  a  distance  of  one-half  mile,  four 
haulers  will  be  needed  unless  the  men  are  willing  to  work  exceptionally 
fast.  For  every  additional  half-mile  in  the  distance  from  threshing 
machine  to  elevator,  one  more  grain  hauler  is  needed. 

Thus  at  two  miles  the  time  of  each  hauler2  would  be  apportioned 
approximately  as  follows: 

Loading    up 18  minutes 

Hauling  round  trip  of  4  miles 80  minutes 

Unloading  and  waiting 22  minutes 

Total  for  round  trip 120  minutes 

Since  an  empty  wagon  with  a  capacity  of  90  bushels  of  oats  must 
be  at  the  threshing  machine  every  18  minutes,  it  follows  that  when  120 
minutes  (2  hours)  are  required  for  a  round  trip  there  must  be  as  many 
grain  haulers  as  120  divided  by  18,  or  6%,  which  means  that  7  grain 
haulers  are  needed. 

On  any  job  where  one  man  hauls  to  the  granary  near  by,  he  will 
be  able  to  haul  one-third  of  all  the  oats  threshed.  With  this  organization 
4  haulers  (%  of  6%)  also  will  be  needed  to  haul  to  the  elevator. 

On  the  62  farms  included  in  Table  8,  the  average  number  of 
men  hauling  to  the  granary  was  1.88,  and  the  average  number  of  men 
hauling  to  the  elevator  was  4.6.  The  average  distance  from  threshing 
machine  to  elevator  was  2.27  miles.  On  one  of  the  farms,  located  2M 
miles  from  the  elevator,  one  man  hauling  to  the  granary  and  5  men 
hauling  to  the  elevator  would  have  been  sufficient. 

1It  is  assumed  that  one  or  two  men  will  help  unload  at  the  granary.  The  amount 
of  help  needed  varies  with  the  equipment  available  for  unloading. 

'Because  most  Illinois  farmers  use  horses  for  hauling  grain,  this  analysis  has  been 
made  on  that  basis.  The  same  kind  of  analysis  may  readily  be  applied  where  trucks 
are  used. 


1925]  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  389 

SUMMARY  OF  TIME  REQUIREMENTS  UNDER  EFFICIENT 
MANAGEMENT  IN  FAVORABLE  WEATHER 

The  threshing  standard  of  300  bushels  of  oats  per  hour,  which  has 
been  suggested  for  a  36-inch  threshing  machine,  is  reasonable  under 
good  weather  conditions.  During  seasons  when  yields  of  oats  are  SO 
or  more  bushels  per  acre,  and  the  straw  is  short,  360  to  400  bushels  may 
be  threshed  per  hour  with  a  36-inch  threshing  machine.  Farmers  should 
insist  on  threshermen  having  their  outfits  in  good  condition  at  the 
beginning  of  the  season,  so  that  steady  and  continuous  operation  may 
be  assured.  When  threshermen  fail  to  keep  the  outfit  operating  at  a  fair 
speed,  some  stimulation  from  the  farmers  may  be  necessary.  Unless  a 
fair  rate  of  speed  and  steady  operation  can  be  obtained,  labor  cannot 
be  utilized  efficiently. 

It  may  be  assumed  that  under  good  farm  organization  the  average 
distance  from  threshing  machine  to  field  will  not  exceed  80  rods.  Ten 
bundle  haulers  using  basket  racks  and  pitching  on  their  own  loads  can 
keep  the  threshing  machine  supplied  with  oats  at  the  rate  of  300  bushels 
per  hour  under  average  conditions.  Assuming  also  that  one  grain  hauler 
will  haul  to  the  granary  on  the  farm,  and  five  others  to  the  elevator  at 
the  average  distance  of  2^4  miles,  the  organization  and  operation  of  the 
crew  on  a  one-hour  basis  would  be  as  follows: 

Number         Man  Horse 

of  men         hours          hours 

Bundle  haulers 10  10  20 

Grain  haulers 6  6  12 

Stacker1 1  1  — 

Scooper1 1  1 

Total 18  18  32 

Time  per  100  bushels  threshed 6  10% 

For  20-  to  24-inch  threshing  machines  a  good  rate  of  threshing 
oats  is  150  bushels  per  hour.  The  size  of  the  crew  can  be  cut  in  two 
except  where  an  odd  number  of  men  is  needed  to  perform  a  certain 
operation  with  the  large  machines.  Thus  the  number  of  man  hours 
and  horse  hours  per  100  bushels  would  remain  practically  the  same  as 
for  the  36-inch  machines,  assuming  the  same  efficiency  of  management. 

ADVANTAGES  OF  LARGE  AND  SMALL  THRESHING 
MACHINES 

From  the  data  secured  on  large  and  small  threshing  machines,  it 
has  been  found  that  there  is  no  advantage  in  the  saving  of  labor  which 
can  be  attributed  to  the  size  of  the  machine. 

Most  of  the  farms  using  the  large  threshing  machines  (32  to  44 
inches)  used  field  pitchers.  The  farms  using  the  small  threshing 
machines  (20  to  28  inches)  used  basket  racks  and  no  field  pitchers. 
The  groups  of  farms  using  large  threshing  machines  with  and  without 

*Not  used  on  every  farm. 


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BULLETIN  No.  267 


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field  pitchers  are  compared  with  those  using  small  threshing  machines 
in  Table  10. 

The  farms  reported  in  columns  2  and  3,  which  did  not  use  field 
pitchers,  used  28.6  percent  less  man  labor  per  100  bushels  than  those 
in  column  1,  which  used  field  pitchers.  The  amount  of  horse  labor  used 
was  increased  13.6  percent  where  no  field  pitchers  were  used.  For  the 

TABLE  10. — COMPARISON  OF  AMOUNTS  OF  LABOR  USED  BY  LARGE  AND  SMALL  THRESHING 
MACHINES  IN  THRESHING  OATS 


1 

2 

3 

32  to  44" 
machines 

20  to  28" 
machines 

32  to  44" 
machines 

using  field 
pitchers 

not  using 
field 
pitchers 

not  using 
field 
pitchers 

Number  of  farms  

97 

15 

22 

Hours  of  man  labor  per  100  bushels 

For  getting  bundles  to  machine  

7.'0 

5.0 

5.0 

For  all  other  operations  

4.2 

5.3 

4.3 

Hours  of  horse  labor  per  100  bushels 

For  getting  bundles  to  machine  

8  8 

10.0 

10.0 

For  all  other  operations  

6  1 

8  3 

6.8 

Relative  time  required  for  getting  bundles  to 

machine 

Man  labor  

100% 

71.4% 

71.4% 

Horse  labor  

100% 

113.6% 

113.6% 

other  operations  more  labor  was  used  with  the  small  threshing  machines 
(column  2)  than  with  the  large  machines  (columns  1  and  3).  This 
was  because  nearly  three-fourths  as  many  grain  haulers  were  used  with 
the  small  threshing  machines  as  with  the  large  machines,  altho  the 
number  of  bushels  threshed  per  hour  was  only  one-half  as  large.  This 
situation,  of  course,  may  be  attributed  to  the  small  threshing  machine 
only  to  the  extent  that  grain  haulers  have  to  wait  longer  for  loading  up, 
a  relatively  small  consideration. 

The  fuel  cost  in  threshing  is  a  minor  item  on  most  farms  in  east- 
central  Illinois.  The  average  fuel  consumption  of  the  steam  tractors 
which  furnish  the  power  for  the  large  threshing  machines  was  1 10 
pounds  of  coal  for  100  bushels  of  oats  threshed.  The  average  fuel  con- 
sumption of  the  small  gas  tractors  that  furnished  the  power  for  the 
small  threshing  machines  was  2.15  gallons  of  kerosene  for  100  bushels 
of  oats  threshed. 

Thus  the  choice  between  large  and  small  threshing  machines  must 
be  made  on  the  basis  of  factors  other  than  economy  in  the  use  of  fuel 
and  of  labor  while  the  machine  is  in  operation. 

Factors  in  Favor  of  the  Large  Machine 

1.  The  price  of  a  36-inch  threshing  machine  is  approximately  50 
percent  higher  than  the  price  of  a  22-inch  machine  of  the  same  make, 
but  the  larger  machine  will  thresh  twice  as  much  grain  per  season. 


/925]  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  391 

2.  The  large  machines  require  only  half  as  many  managers  for  the 
same  acreage,  a  situation  which  should  result  in  the  selection  of  better 
managers. 

Factors  in  Favor  of  the  Small  Machine 

1.  Small  threshing  machines  can  be  run  by  small  gas  tractors, 
which  can  also  be  used  for  field  work.   Thus  in  time  the  cost  for  power 
from  small  gas  tractors  should  be  less  than  it  is  now  from  large  gas  or 
steam  tractors,  many  of  which  are  used  only  for  threshing. 

2.  The  bundles  are  pitched  into  the  small  machines  from  one  side. 
Consequently  the  machines  can  be  set  so  that  both  bundle  haulers  and 
grain  haulers  can  work  on  the  windward  side  and  keep  out  of- the  dust. 

3.  Some  time  is  saved  by  the  men  in  going  to  and  from  work,  or 
when  long  delays  occur,  owing  to  the  smaller  area  included  in  the  small 
threshing  ring. 

4.  Meals  at  farm  houses  can  be  served  more  easily  to  10  or  15 
men  at  a  time  than  to  20  or  30  men. 

No  doubt  the  rapid  increase1  in  the  number  of  small  threshing 
machines  used  has  been  due  largely  to  the  advantages  just  mentioned. 
While  the  number  of  small  threshing  machines  probably  will  not  in- 
crease so  rapidly  in  the  future  as  it  did  during  the  war  period,  there  no 
doubt  will  be  a  steady  increase  in  the  proportion  of  small  machines 
used,  especially  in  those  sections  of  Illinois  where  small  gas  tractors  are 
being  used  extensively  for  field  work.  Twenty  thousand  of  these  small 
tractors  were  in  use  on  Illinois  farms  in  1920.  These  would  have  fur- 
nished sufficient  power  (allowing  400  acres  of  small  grain  per  tractor) 
to  thresh  the  8,000,000  acres  of  small  grain  commonly  grown  in  this 
state. 

LABOR  SETTLEMENTS  IN  THRESHING  RINGS 

In  exchanging  labor  between  the  members  of  a  threshing  ring,  it  is 
a  common  practice  for  each  member  to  furnish  one  man  and  team  for 
each  40  acres  of  grain.  For  80  acres  of  grain,  two  men  and  two  teams 
are  usually  furnished.  When  the  acreage  is  between  40  and  80  acres, 
sometimes  an  extra  man  is  furnished,  or  two  men  may  combine  in  hir- 
ing an  extra  man,  depending  upon  the  size  of  the  ring,  the  amount  of 
help  needed,  and  the  number  of  acres  of  grain  grown  by  the  different 
members. 

A  detailed  study  of  a  number  of  rings  shows  that  even  tho  members 
try  to  avoid  it,  large  differences  occur  in  the  amounts  of  labor  received 
by  some  members  as  compared  with  the  amounts  of  labor  furnished.  In 
one  ring  of  eight  farmers,  one  member  was  found  to  have  received  256 

'Fourteen  out  of  fifteen  threshing  machine  manufacturers  in  the  Middle  West, 
when  questioned  in  regard  to  the  relative  number  of  sales  of  small  and  large  machines, 
stated  definitely  that  more  than  50  percent  of  their  sales  were  of  the  small  machines. 


392 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


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hours  more  man  labor  than  he  furnished.  Another  member  furnished 
140  hours  more  than  he  received.  No  settlement  of  labor  differences 
was  made  in  this  ring,  altho  the  amounts  involved  were  large. 

Fifteen  of  the  27  cooperative  threshing  rings  surveyed  did  not  figure 
differences  in  labor  on  any  basis;  five  settled  differences  on  the  basis  of 
the  number  of  bushels  threshed,  three  on  the  basis  of  the  number  of 
acres  of  grain  threshed,  and  four  on  the  basis  of  hours  or  days  of  man 
labor  furnished. 

The  relative  fairness  of  these  three  methods  may  be  judged  by 
applying  them  to  a  specific  threshing  ring  which  is  somewhat  typical 
of  a  large  number  of  rings  in  Illinois. 

The  data  in  Table  1 1  illustrate  the  conditions  in  many  small  rings, 
where  farmers  having  widely  varying  acreages  and  yields  of  grain 
exchange  help  in  threshing. 

TABLE  11. — DATA  USED  AS  A  BASIS  FOR  SETTLING  LABOR  DIFFERENCES  IN  AN  ILLINOIS 

THRESHING  RING,  1921 


Name  of  member 

Acres 
of 
oats 

Yield 
per 
acre 

bushels 
of  oats 
threshed 

Number 
of  men 
furnished 

Time  for 
threshing 
(hours) 

A... 

40 
46 

25 
90 
57 
65 
60 
43 

36.9 
46.1 
29.6 
49.0 
27.0 
31.1 
28.3 
32.6 

1  476 
2  121 
741 
4  413 
1  536 
2  020 
1  700 
1  400 

1 
1 

1 

2 
1 
2 
2 
2 

16 
22 
8 
46 
14 
15 
14 
13 

B  

c  

D  

E  

F  

G  

H  

Total  

426 
srman  

15  407 
1  284 

12 

148 

Bushels  threshed  p 

JWhere  wheat  was  grown,  1  bushel  of  wheat  was  considered  equivalent  to  2  bushels 
of  oats. 

METHOD  1 :    SETTLEMENT  ON  THE  BUSHEL  BASIS 
To  make  a  settlement  of  labor  differences  in  the  ring  described  in 
Table  11  on  the  basis  of  the  number  of  bushels  threshed,  there  are  two 
ways  of  proceeding.   The  procedure  described  here,  which  is  generally 
used,  requires  few  calculations.1 

In  Table  11  it  may  be  noted  that  a  total  of  15,407  bushels  of  oats 
were  threshed  by  the  ring,  and  that  12  men  did  the  threshing.  The 
number  of  bushels  threshed  per  man  during  the  season  was  therefore 
1,284.  A  member  who  furnished  one  man  for  the  season  would  be 
exactly  even  with  the  ring  if  the  ring  threshed  1,284  bushels  of  oats  for 
him.  If  less  than  1,284  bushels  of  oats  were  threshed  for  him,  the  ring 
would  owe  him  for  the  difference,  and  if  the  amount  were  more  than 
1,284  bushels  he  would  owe  the  ring  for  the  excess.  Those  members 
furnishing  two  men  thruout  the  season  would  be  exactly  even  with  the 

'Another  method  is  described  in  detail  in  the  1918  Yearbook  of  the  U.  S.  D.  A., 
in  an  article  entitled  "The  Threshing  Ring  in  the  Corn  Belt." 


19251 


SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT 


393 


ring  if  2,568  bushels  of  oats  or  its  equivalent  in  other  grain  were 
threshed  for  them.  The  amounts  below  and  above  the  2,568  bushels 
would  represent  amounts  due  from  the  ring,  and  amounts  due  to 
the  ring. 

After  figuring  the  debits  and  credits  in  bushels  of  grain  for  each 
member  of  the  ring,  the  next  step  is  to  set  a  rate  per  bushel  of  grain 
which  will  distribute  the  expenses  in  a  fair  way.  In  Table  1 1  the  total 
time  for  threshing  is  given  as  148  hours  for  12  men,  or  a  total  of  1,776 
hours  of  man  labor.  At  25  cents  an  hour,  this  would  amount  to  $444. 
In  many  sections  of  Illinois,  man  labor  only  is  considered  in  determin- 
ing the  rates  per  bushel  of  grain,  since  most  farmers  can  furnish  any 
reasonable  number  of  horses  at  little  additional  expense.  If  the  members 
of  a  ring  decide  to  consider  horse  labor  as  well  as  man  labor,  both 
should  be  recorded  and  a  reasonable  rate  agreed  upon  for  each. 

With  man  labor  amounting  to  $444  for  15,407  bushels  of  grain 
threshed,  the  rate  per  bushel  would  be  2.88  cents  or  $2.88  per  100 
bushels.  This  method  and  rate  applied  to  the  data  in  Table  1 1  give  the 
results  shown  in  Table  12. 

In  every  case  where  a  threshing  ring  settles  labor  differences,  a 
treasurer  should  be  elected.  In  the  settlement  shown  in  Table  12,  farmers 
A,  B,  D,  and  E  would  pay  the  treasurer  $5.53,  $24.11,  $53.14,  and  $7.26, 

TABLE  12. — THRESHING  RING  SETTLEMENT  BASED  ON  NUMBER  or  BUSHELS  THRESHED 


Member 

Bushels 
threshed 

Men 
furnished 

Bushels  threshed 

Dr.  at 

$2.88  per 
100    bushels 

Cr.  at 
$2.88  per 
100  bushels 

JAbove  the 
average 
Dr. 

Below  the 
average 
Cr. 

A.. 

1  476 
2  121 
741 
4  413 
1  536 
2  020 
1  700 
1  400 

1 

1 
1 
2 
1 
2 
2 
2 

192 
837 

i'845 

252 

"543 

"548 
868 
1  167 

$  5.53 
24.11 

53J4 
7.26 

$i5!64 

i's'.is 

25.00 
33.61 

B  

C  

D  

E  

F  

G  

H  

Total  

15  407 

12 

3  126 

3  126 

$90.04 

$90.03 

'Average  number  of  bushels  per  man,  1,284. 

respectively.    The  treasurer  would  pay  C,  F,  G,  and  H  the  amounts 
credited  to  them,  that  is,  $15.64,  $15.78,  $25.00,  and  $33.61. 

This  method  of  settlement  is  fairly  satisfactory  when  the  rate  used 
approximates  the  actual  man-labor  cost. 

METHOD  2:    SETTLEMENT  ON  THE  ACRE  BASIS 

The  second  method  of  settling  labor  differences  in  threshing  is 
based  upon  the  number  of  acres  threshed  for  each  farmer.  The  pro- 
cedure is  as  follows: 


394 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


{May, 


With  426  acres  in  the  ring  and  12  men  in  the  crew  (Table  11),  the 
acreage  per  man  is  35.5.  Any  farmer  furnishing  one  man  will  be  even 
with  the  rest  of  the  members  of  the  ring  if  he  has  35.5  acres  of  grain 
threshed.  Members  furnishing  two  men  will  come  out  even  if  they 
have  71  acres  threshed.  Members  having  more  than  71  acres  threshed 
will  of  course  receive  more  than  they  give.  Consequently,  they  should 
pay  the  ring  for  the  difference.  Those  having  less  than  the  above 
acreages,  but  furnishing  the  same  number  of  men,  receive  less  than  they 
give,  and  should  be  paid  the  differences  by  the  ring. 

TABLE  13. — THRESHING  RING  SETTLEMENT  BASED  ON  NUMBER 
OF  ACRES  OF  GRAIN  THRESHED 


Member 

Acres 
threshed 
Dr. 

Men 
furnished 

Acres 
entitled 
to  Cr. 

Differences  in 
acreage 

At  $1.00 
per  acre 

Dr. 

Cr. 

Dr. 

Cr. 

A 

40 
46 
25 
90 
57 
65 
60 
43 

1 
1 
1 

2 
1 

2 
2 

2 

35.5 
35.5 
35.5 
71 
35.5 
71 
71 
71 

4.5 
10.5 

i9 

21.5 

ioj 

6 
11 

28 

$4.50 
10.50 

B  

$io'.5o 

c  

D  

19.00 
21.50 

E 

F 

6.00 
11.00 
28.00 

G  

H  

Total  

426 

12 

426 

55.5 

55.5 

$55.00 

$55.00 

In  order  to  determine  the  rate  per  acre  to  be  paid  or  refunded, 
a  close  estimate  must  be  made  of  the  total  number  of  hours  spent  in 
threshing.  This  number  multiplied  by  the  number  of  men  employed 
gives  the  total  hours  of  man  labor.  This  amount  divided  by  the  total 
acreage  in  the  ring  gives  the  number  of  man  hours  required  per  acre. 
Multiplying  the  man  hours  per  acre  by  a  fair  rate,  say  25  cents  an 
hour,  gives  the  rate  per  acre  to  be  paid  or  refunded. 

In  this  particular  ring,  148  hours  (14.8  ten-hour  days)  from  each 
of  12  men,  or  a  total  of  1,776  man  hours,  were  required  to  thresh 
all  the  jobs.  The  total  acreage  of  grain  was  426.  The  number  of  hours 
of  man  labor  required  per  acre  was  therefore  4.2.  To  make  the  calcu- 
lations easier,  4  hours  may  be  considered  correct.  At  25  cents  an  hour, 
the  acre  rate  for  settling  differences  in  acreages  threshed  would  be  $1.00. 
Table  13  shows  how  a  summary  of  the  work  done  by  the  ring  and  the 
settlement  to  be  made  with  each  member  may  be  made  up. 

On  this  basis,  farmers  A,  B,  D,  and  E  would  pay  $4.50,  $10.50, 
$19.00,  and  $21.50,  respectively,  to  the  treasurer,  who  would  pay  farm- 
ers C,  F,  G,  and  H,  $10.50,  $6.00,  $11.00,  and  $28.00,  respectively. 

Obviously,  this  method  of  settlement  is  fair  only  when  the 
yield  of  grain  per  acre  is  fairly  uniform  thruout  the  ring.  The  difficulty 
of  getting  the  correct  acreage  for  each  farm  is  another  disadvantage  in 
using  this  method. 


1925~\  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  395 

METHOD  3  :    SETTLEMENT  ON  TIME  BASIS 

The  third  method  of  settling  differences  which  occur  in  exchanging 
labor  is  to  make  settlement  on  the  basis  of  the  hours  of  man  labor  fur- 
nished by  each  member  to  the  ring  and  received  from  the  ring.  With 
this  method  a  timekeeper  is  appointed,  who  may  also  act  as  treasurer. 
The  timekeeper  will  find  it  convenient  to  use  some  such  form  for 
recording  time  as  is  shown  in  Table  14.  This  form  is  like  a  regular 
time  sheet  except  that  the  names  of  the  farmers  for  whom  threshing  is 
done  are  listed  at  the  top  of  each  column  in  place  of  the  different  days 
of  the  week. 

On  the  line  with  each  farmer's  name  is  recorded  the  number  of 
hours  of  man  labor  which  he  and  his  hired  help  have  furnished  to 
the  other  members  of  the  ring.  Delays  of  more  than  15  minutes,  for 
which  the  member  having  the  threshing  done  is  not  responsible,  are  not 
charged  against  him.  The  records  of  the  same  ring  used  to  explain  the 
two  preceding  methods  are  used  to  show  the  final  settlement  with  this 
method  (Table  14). 

Farmer  A  was  the  first  to  thresh.  He  received  from  farmers  B,  C, 
D,  E,  F,  G,  and  H,  16,  16,  32,  16,  32,  32,  and  32  hours  of  labor, 
respectively,  or  a  total  of  176  hours.  He  is  therefore  indebted  to  the 
ring  for  that  number  of  hours.  During  the  threshing  season,  farmer  A 
furnished  farmers  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  and  H  with  22,  8,  46,  14,  15,  14, 
and  13  hours,  respectively,  or  a  total  of  132  hours,  which  amount  is 
credited  to  him.  The  debits  and  credits  of  each  member  of  the  ring 
may  be  noted  in  the  same  way. 

If  farmer  A's  total  debit  is  176  hours,  and  his  total  credit  132  hours, 
he  owes  the  ring  for  the  difference,  or  44  hours.  Farmer  B  also  received 
more  help  than  he  furnished;  he  owes  the  ring  for  the  difference  between 
242  hours  and  126  hours,  or  116  hours.  Farmer  C  received  88  hours, 
but  furnished  140;  the  ring  therefore  owes  him  for  the  difference, 
which  is  52  hours.  Farmers  D  and  E  received  more  labor  than  they  fur- 
nished, and  therefore  owe  the  ring  for  the  differences.  Farmers  F,  G, 
and  H  furnished  more  labor  than  they  received,  and  the  ring  owes  them 
for  the  differences.  On  the  basis  of  25  cents  an  hour,  the  amounts 
owed  to  the  ring  by  A,  B,  D,  and  E,  would  be  $11,  $29,  $64,  and  $5, 
respectively.  These  amounts  would  be  paid  to  the  treasurer,  who  would 
then  pay  C,  F,  G,  and  H  the  amounts  owed  them,  namely,  $13,  $29, 
$32,  and  $35. 

BUSHEL  OR  TIME  BASIS  MORE  SATISFACTORY  THAN  ACRE  BASIS 
Since  these  three  methods  of  making  labor  settlements  have  all 
been  used  by  various  threshing  rings  in  Illinois,  an  application  of  all 
of  them  to  the  ring  just  described  gives  some  basis  for  judging  the 
merits  of  each.  A  comparison  of  the  results  arrived  at  with  each  method 
is  made  in  Table  15. 


396 


BULLETIN  No.  267 


[May, 


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SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT 


397 


The  bushel  and  time  bases  give  fairly  uniform  results  except  in  the 
cases  of  D  and  F;  D  would  have  to  pay  more  if  the  settlement  were 
made  on  the  latter  basis,  while  F  would  receive  more.  The  acre  basis  is 
easy  on  the  man  with  high  crop  yields,  but  hard  on  the  man  with  low 
yields.  To  the  authors  either  the  bushel  basis  or  the  time  basis  seems 
the  more  satisfactory.  In  cases  where  the  time  is  affected  by  weather 
conditions,  or  other  factors  beyond  the  control  of  the  farmer  whose 

TABLE  15. — THREE  METHODS  OF  SETTLING  LABOR  DIFFERENCES  APPLIED  TO 
ONE  THRESHING  RING 


Member 

Yield 
per 
acre 

Bushel  basis 

Acre  basis 

Time  basis 

Rate  $2.88  per 
100  bushels 

Rate  $1.00 
per  acre 

Rate  25  cents 
per  hour 

Dr. 

Cr. 

Dr. 

Cr. 

Dr. 

Cr. 

A  . 

36.9 
46.1 
29.6 
49.0 
27.0 
31.0 
28.3 
32.6 

$5.53 
24.10 

$4.50 
10.50 

$11.00 
29.00 

B 

C  

$15.64 

$10.50 

$13.00 

D  

53.14 
7.26 

19.00 
21.50 

64.00 
5.00 

E  

F.... 

15.78 
25.00 
33.61 

6.00 
11.00 
28.00 

29.00 
32.00 
35.00 

G  

H  

grain  is  being  threshed,  the  bushel  basis  offers  the  fairest  method  for 
settlement.  However,  one  man  may  have  a  lot  of  weeds  in  his  grain, 
extra  rank  straw,  or  have  the  machine  set  so  far  from  the  fields  as  to  use 
more  than  the  average  amount  of  time  per  bushel.  Under  these  condi- 
tions the  time  basis  results  in  the  fairest  settlement. 


COOPERATIVE  OWNERSHIP  OF  THRESHING  MACHINES 

Occasionally  there  is  a  threshing  ring  in  which  both  threshing 
machine  and  engine  are  owned  by  the  members  of  the  ring.  More  often, 
however,  only  the  threshing  machine  is  owned  by  the  group  and  the 
power  is  hired.  Since  a  large  number  of  small  tractors  are  now  used 
by  individual  farmers  for  field  work,  it  is  often  more  advantageous  to 
hire  this  form  of  power  from  one  member  of  the  ring  or  from  a  farmer 
outside  the  ring  than  for  the  ring  to  own  a  tractor. 

Two  FORMS  OF  RING  ORGANIZATION — PARTNERSHIP 
AND  CORPORATION 

The  usual  form  of  organization  when  a  threshing  machine,  or  a 
threshing  machine  and  an  engine  is  owned  by  the  ring,  is  the  partner- 
ship, which  either  is  implied  or  is  expressed  in  a  written  agreement. 
Another  is  the  corporation  form,  which  is  becoming  more  common  in 


398  BULLETIN  No.  267  [May, 

farm  organizations  doing  a  large  business.  The  chief  features  of  the  cor- 
poration form  in  contrast  to  the  partnership  are:  (l)limited  liability, 
(2)  freely  transferable  shares,  and  (3)  greater  permanence.  The  most 
advantageous  of  these  features  is  the  limited  liability;  whatever  mis- 
fortune may  happen  to  the  incorporated  organization,  the  members 
usually  cannot  lose  more  than  they  have  paid  in. 

In  the  partnership  organization  there  is  no  such  limitation;  under 
certain  conditions  each  member  of  a  partnership  is  liable,  up  to  the  limit 
of  his  resources,  for  the  acts  of  any  other  member  or  members.  Several 
provisions  of  the  Illinois  statutes,  however,  make  the  matter  of  un- 
limited liability  of  partners  less  serious  than  it  first  seems  to  be.  Among 
these  provisions  are  the  following: 

"An  act  of  a  partner  which  is  not  apparently  for  the  carrying  on  of  the  business 
of  the  partnership  in  the  usual  way,  does  not  bind  the  partnership  unless  authorized 
by  the  other  partners." 

"No  act  of  a  partner  in  contravention  of  a  restriction  on  his  authority  shall  bind 
the  partnership  to  persons  having  knowledge  of  the  restriction."1 

Partners  in  threshing  rings  do  not  ordinarily  consider  the  matter 
of  unlimited  liability  as  being  a  serious  disadvantage,  since  the  members 
are  well  acquainted  and  carefully  selected  on  the  basis  of  integrity 
and  the  amount  of  property  owned. 

From  the  standpoint  of  freely  transferable  shares,  the  partnership 
admits  new  members  only  upon  the  approval  of  the  partners.  In  the 
corporation,  it  is  more  difficult  to  control  the  membership. 

The  greater  permanence  of  the  corporation  is  not  especially  im- 
portant in  the  ownership  of  a  threshing  machine.  By  the  time  a 
machine  is  worn  out,  which  ordinarily  is  in  ten  to  fifteen  years,  the  per- 
sonnel of  a  threshing  ring  is  likely  to  have  changed  considerably.  Instead 
of  keeping  a  fixed  capital,  members  usually  prefer  to  have  surpluses 
distributed.  Thus  instead  of  building  up  a  reserve  which  would  be  large 
enough  in  ten  to  fifteen  years  to  buy  a  new  machine,  they  prefer  to  use 
this  amount  as  individuals.  When  a  new  machine  is  needed,  new  contri- 
butions are  made.  The  affairs  of  the  old  organization  are  wound  up,  and 
a  new  one  is  formed.  This  flexibility  is  naturally  attained  under  a 
partnership  organization. 

FINANCING  COOPERATIVELY  OWNED  THRESHING  MACHINES 

If,  in  a  group  of  farmers,  each  grows  approximately  the  same  acre- 
age of  similar  grains,  the  problem  of  distributing  the  investment  and 
expenses  of  a  threshing  machine  in  an  equitable  manner  is  simple. 
Each  farmer  may  contribute  an  equal  share  in  the  purchase  of  a 
machine.  The  operating  expenses  divided  by  the  total  bushels  threshed 
would  give  the  rate  per  bushel  that  should  be  charged  each  member. 

'Revised  Statutes  of  Illinois  1919.    Partnerships. 


19251  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  399 

Having  approximately  the  same  acreage  and  bushels,  each  will  receive 
about  the  same  benefit  from  the  capital  invested  in  the  machine. 

If,  however,  unequal  acreages  are  owned,  as  is  usually  the  case, 
the  problem  is  not  only  that  of  sharing  cash  disbursements  in  propor- 
tion to  the  bushels  threshed,  but  also  of  getting  credit  for  interest  and 
depreciation  in  proportion  to  each  cooperator's  investment.  It  is  not 
usually  practicable  to  have  the  investment  of  each  farmer  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  of  his  job,  since  this  is  likely  to  vary  considerably 
during  the  life  of  the  machine. 

In  practice,  the  custom  rate  in  the  community  is  usually  charged, 
and  the  net  proceeds  for  the  year  above  cash  disbursements  are  dis- 
tributed or  credited  to  the  members  in  proportion  to  their  ownership. 
As  a  rule,  each  farmer  owns  an  equal  part  or  share  in  the  machine. 
This  method  is  fair  only  if  the  actual  expenses  in  threshing  with  the 
cooperative  threshing  machine,  including  interest  and  depreciation, 
are  the  same  per  bushel  as  the  custom  rate.  Under  superior  manage- 
ment the  expense  per  bushel  will  be  below  the  custom  rate;  under 
inferior  management  it  may  be  considerably  higher.  If  the  expense 
per  bushel  is  above  the  custom  rate,  the  man  with  the  small  job  will 
receive  less  benefit  from  his  investment  than  the  man  with  the  large 
job.  This  may  be  seen  in  the  following  example. 

Four  farmers,  A,  B,  C,  and  D,  have  200,  100,  50,  and  50  acres 
of  grain  respectively,  yielding  8,000,  4,000,  2,000,  and  2,000  bushels  of 
oats  or  its  equivalent.  If  the  custom  rate  is  21/4  cents  a  bushel,  the 
threshing  bills  would  be  as  follows: 

A 8,000  bushels  @  2%c $200 

B 4,000  bushels  @  2%c 100 

C 2,000  bushels  @  2^c SO 

D 2,000  bushels  @  2^c 50 

Total 16,000   bushels   @    2%c $400 

The  cash  disbursements  for  the  year  would  be  about  as  follows: 

Engine  hire  l^c  a  bushel $200 

Separator  man  16  days  @  $3 48 

Repairs 40 

Total $288 

This  would  leave  a  balance  of  $112  to  be  distributed  or  credited  to 
the  farmers  in  proportion  to  their  investments,  which  are  assumed  to  be 
equal,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  practice.  At  present  prices  a  small  sepa- 
rator for  threshing  16,000  bushels  of  oats  costs  about  $1,000.  Assuming, 
then,  that  each  cooperator  has  a  share  amounting  to  $250  the  first  year, 
each  man  would  receive  a  credit  of  $28,  which  should  cover  his  share 
of  the  depreciation  and  interest.  The  actual  amount  of  these  two  items 
the  first  year  would  be  about  as  follows: 


400  BULLETIN  No.  267  [May, 

Interest  6%  on  #1,000 $60 

Depreciation   10%  on  $1,000 100 

Total $160 

Interest  and  depreciation  per  share  $40. 

The  total  expenses  for  the  year  would  be  as  follows : 

Cash  disbursements $288 

Interest  and  depreciation 160 

Total $448 

This  amount  divided  by  the  number  of  bushels  threshed  gives  the 
rate,  based  on  actual  costs,  of  2.8  cents  per  bushel  of  oats.  A  com- 
parison of  the  cost  rate  and  of  the  custom  rate  applied  to  each  job 
threshed  gives  the  following  results : 

A          B          C          D      Total 
Threshing   bill  based   on   cost   rate   of 

2.8c  per  bushel $224     $112       $56       $56     $448 

Threshing   bill   based   on   custom   rate 

of  2%c  per  bushel 200       100         50         SO       400 

The  settlements  based  on  each  member  having  a  $250  share  in  the 
machine  are  as  follows: 

1.  When  cost  rate  of  2.8  cents  'per  bushel  is  charged: 

A  B  C  D  Total 

Bushels  of  oats  or  its  equivalent  threshed     8,000  4,000  2,000  2,000  16,000 

Debit $224  $112  $56  $56  $448 

Credit1 40  40  40  40  160 

Balance  to  be   paid  treasurer  to  cover 


cash   disbursements $184       $72       $16       $16 

on  6  percent  interest  and  10  percent  depreciation  borne  equally  by  each 
member. 

2.  When  custom  rate  of  2.5  cents  per  bushel  is  charged: 

A  B          C  D      Total 

Bushels  of  oats  or  its  equivalent  threshed    8,000  4,000  2,000  2,000  16,000 

Debit $200  $100       $50  $50     $400 

Credit2 28  28         28  28       112 

Balance  to  be  paid  treasurer  to  cover       

cash  disbursements $172  $72       $22  $22     $288 

^his  is  the  remainder,  after  cash  items  have  been  paid,  which  is  credited  equally 
to  each  member. 

In  the  above  settlements,  B  would  have  the  same  amount  to  pay 
in  either  case,  A  would  pay  $12  more  in  cash  when  the  rate  was  based 
on  actual  cost,  while  C  and  D  would  each  have  to  pay  $6  less  in  cash 
since  each  member  is  given  full  credit  for  his  share  of  the  depreciation 
and  interest  charge. 

Charging  a  lower  rate  for  threshing  than  actual  cost,  when  the 
ownership  is  equally  divided,  favors  the  man  with  the  large  job,  and 
charging  a  higher  than  cost  rate  favors  the  man  with  the  small  job. 
These  differences  are  almost  negligible  when  the  grain  acreages  are 


.7925]  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  401 

nearly  equal,  but  they  increase  directly  with  differences  in  acreage  and 
with  variations  from  the  cost  rate.  It  may  be  concluded,  therefore,  that 
custom  rates  are  satisfactory  as  a  basis  for  settlement  when  the  jobs 
in  a  ring  are  fairly  uniform  in  size.  When  considerable  variations  occur 
in  the  size  of  jobs,  a  rate  should  be  set  which  will  cover  all  cash  dis- 
bursements, plus  a  fair  credit  for  interest  and  depreciation.  The  latter 
two  items  should  be  credited  to  each  member  of  the  company  in  pro- 
portion to  the  number  of  shares  he  owns. 

WRITTEN  AGREEMENTS  PREVENT  MISUNDERSTANDINGS 

Few  threshing  companies  have  any  written  agreements.  For  the 
purpose  of  having  a  clear  understanding  of  the  rights  and  duties  of 
officers  and  other  members,  as  well  as  having  written  evidence  in  case 
of  disagreement,  it  is  well  to  put  all  agreements  in  writing.  The  follow- 
ing suggested  agreement  is  based  upon  some  agreements  which  are  in 
actual  use  and  on  others  of  a  similar  nature. 

Illinois  Threshing  Agreement 

We,  the  undersigned,  hereby  agree  to  form  and  become  members  of  this  co- 
partnership, to  be  known  as  the Threshing  Company, 

for  the  purchase,  ownership,  and  operation  of  a  threshing  machine.  We  agree  to  con- 
tribute to  the  fund  the  sums  set  opposite  our  names. 

This  agreement  shall  be  effective  until  it  has  been  declared  null  and  void  by  a 
two-thirds  majority  vote  of  all  the  members  of  the  association. 

SECTION  1.  ORGANIZATION 

A.  A  share  in  this  company  shall  consist  of  an  equal  part  of  the  total  value  of  the 
equipment  owned  by  the  company. 

B.  Any  member  moving  from  the  neighborhood  shall  dispose  of  his  share  to  the 
remaining  members  at  cost,  price,  discounted  at  the  rate  of  10  percent  per  year  for 
each  year  the  machine  has  been  used,  unless  he  can  dispose  of  it  to  some  one  who  will 
be  satisfactory  to  a  three-fourths  majority  of  the  other  members. 

SECTION  2.  OFFICERS  AND  THEIR  DUTIES 

A.  The  officers  of  this  company  shall  be  a  president,  a  secretary-treasurer,  and  a 
timekeeper,  each  elected  for  a  term  of  one  year. 

B.  The  president,  secretary-treasurer,  and  timekeeper  shall  constitute  the  executive 
board  or  committee. 

C.  The  president  shall  set  the  time  and  place  of  all  meetings,  both  regular  and 
special,  and  shall  preside  at  the  same.    He  shall  sign  all  orders  for  the  paying  out  of 
the  company's  funds. 

D.  The  secretary-treasurer  shall  keep  a  record  of  all  meetings  and  transactions 
of  the  company,  including  a  copy  of  the  timekeeper's  report  and  such  other  reports  as 
are  made  in  the  meetings.    He  shall  receive  all  money  belonging  to  the  company  and 
shall  pay  out  the  same  only  on  orders  signed  by  the  president.    He  shall  attend  to  all 
correspondence  of  the  company.    He  shall  notify  all  members  in  writing  of  the  time, 
place,   and   purpose  of   all    meetings   at   least   five    days   before   the   date    set   for   the 
meetings,  unless  an  emergency  such  as  a  breakdown  occurs.     In  such  case  a  meeting 
may  be  called  as  soon  as  the  members  can  be  brought  together  after  verbal  notice. 


402  BULLETIN  No.  267  [May, 

E.  The  timekeeper  shall   keep   a   record  of  the  labor  furnished  to   and  by  each 
member,  of  the  acres  and  bushels  of  grain  threshed  for  each  member,  and  submit  the 
same  in  a  report  at  the  annual  fall  meeting.    On  each  job  he  may  also  assist  the  owner 
in  getting  the  best  possible  arrangement  of  the  crew. 

F.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  executive  committee  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of 
the  shareholders  of  the  company,  as  expressed  by  them   by  vote   at  any   meeting  at 
which  a  quorum  is  present.     It  shall  be  their  duty  to  secure  competent  help  for  the 
operation  of  the  machinery,  for  which  they  shall  not  pay  more  than  the  customary 
wages.    It  shall  be  their  duty  to  keep  all  property  owned  by  the  company  in  the  best 
possible  condition  of  repair. 

G.  The   executive   committee   shall   hire   a    reliable   engineer,   and    an    engine   to 
furnish  the  power  for  the  ring. 

SECTION  3.    MEETINGS 

A.  There   shall  be   two  regular  meetings   each  year.    One   shall   be  held   in   the 
month  of  May,  at  which  time  any  necessary  business  pertaining  to  the  coming  season 
shall  be  taken  up  and  disposed  of.    The  second  regular  meeting  shall  be  held  within 
three  weeks  after  completion  of  the  threshing  season.    At  this  time  all  accounts  owed 
to  and  by  the  company  shall  be  settled,  officers  for  the  following  year  elected,  and  all 
other  necessary  business  transacted. 

B.  A  special  meeting  may  be  called  at  any  time  at  the  discretion  of  the  president, 
or  upon  the  request  of  any  two  or  more  members  of  the  company. 

C.  A  quorum  shall  consist  of  a  majority  of  the  shareholders. 

SECTION  4.   MACHINERY  AND  EQUIPMENT 

A.  The  size  and  kind  of  machine  to  be  purchased  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority 
vote  in  meeting,  after  sufficient  investigation  with  respect  to  the  needs  of  the  ring  and 
the  respective  qualities  of  the  different  machines  has  been  made. 

B.  A  shed  shall  be  provided  on  the  farm  of  Mr , 

of  sufficient  size  to  house  all  the  equipment  belonging  to  the  company. 

C.  Any  item  of  repair  which  costs  more  than 

dollars  must  be  approved  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  shareholders. 

D.  Insurance  shall  be  carried  on  all  equipment  owned  by  the  company. 

SECTION  5.   RATE  TO  BE  CHARGED 

A.  The  rate  to  be  charged  for  threshing  for  members  shall  be  figured  at  the  end 
of  the  season.  It  shall  be  set  high  enough  to  provide  funds  for  paying  all  cash  items, 
plus  6  percent  interest  on  the  value  of  the  machine  and  equipment  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year,  10  percent  depreciation  on  the  original  cost  of  the  machine,  and  4  percent 
depreciation  on  the  original  cost  of  any  shed  which  has  been  provided  by  the  company 
to  shelter  said  machine. 

B.  Any  net  profits  on  custom  threshing  shall  be  distributed  to  the  members  in 
proportion  to  the  shares  owned. 

C.  If  during  any  year  the  members  feel  that  the  depreciation  on  the  machine  has 
been  above  or  below  10  percent,  a  higher  or  a  lower  rate  may  be  used,  as  decided  by 
a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  the  members. 

D.  One  bushel  of  wheat  or  rye,  and  one  and  one-third  bushels  of  barley   shall 
be  considered  as  equivalent  to  two  bushels  of  oats. 

SECTION  6.    EXCHANGING  LABOR  AND  SETTLING  DIFFERENCES 

Each  member  shall  furnish  one  man  and  team  for  each acres  of 

grain  to  be  threshed. 


1925]  SUCCESSFUL  THRESHING  RING  MANAGEMENT  403 

B.  Differences  in  labor  furnished  shall  be  calculated  by  the  timekeeper  on  the 
...-1  basis  as  described  on  page of  Bulletin  No 

of  the  University  of  Illinois  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

SECTION  7.    MEALS 

Dinner  shall  be  served  to  all  of  the  crew,  and  in  addition  breakfast  and  supper 
shall  be  served  to  the  machine  men  if  requested. 

SECTION  8.    CUSTOM  THRESHING 

Custom  threshing  may  be  done  after  the  members  have  threshed,  if  the  majority 
of  the  members  are  in  favor  of  it. 

SECTION  9.    ORDER  OF  THRESHING 
The  order  of  threshing  shall  be  reversed  each  year. 

SECTION  10.  AMENDMENTS 

This  agreement  shall  be  amended  by  a  two-thirds  majority  vote  of  the  entire 
membership. 

In  witness  whereof,  we  affix  our  signatures  hereto,  this 

day  of 19 

Signatures: 

(Seal) 

(Seal) 

(Seal) 

....(Seal) 


'Bushels  or  hour  basis.  If  the  hour  basis  is  used,  delays  of  IS  minutes  or  more,  for 
which  the  member  whose  job  is  being  threshed  is  not  responsible,  should  not  be 
charged  against  him. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


